A cat forum. CatBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » CatBanter forum » Cat Newsgroups » Cat health & behaviour
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Feline blindness



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old July 22nd 04, 03:40 AM
majus
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Feline blindness

Hello, Group:

Within the past ten or twelve days I noticed some odd behavior in my
six-year-old female cat Alice -- she won't stay on the floor or any
other place she considers "too low". She stays on the refrigerator, on a
dresser, on the mantle or any place high. None of this has been normal
for her in the past. The few times she was on the floor recently she was
acting a little fearful as if she thought something was in the room with
her. July is the month for her yearly physical so when I took her to the
vet I intended to ask about it.

While waiting for the doctor to come into the exam room, I noticed that
when she made an attempt to jump from the floor to the exam table, she
fell short and back to the floor. Twice more she looked at the table
top, trying to judge the distance, then backed off from trying the jump.
On the third try she succeeded. I realized at that time she must be
having trouble seeing.

The vet examined her, did some rudimentary tests with her fingers around
the cat's eyes (blink test, mainly) and agreed but she doesn't know why.
They did a sophisticated blood test of some kind and she's clear of any
problems there. The vet says her retinas appear to be OK but wants me to
take her to a specialist, an opthalmologist. I'm all for that, the
sooner the better. The vet told me she did speak with the specialist
before the blood test results came back and that the specialist didn't
seem to think it was anything serious. The specialist asked my vet to
call her again after the results of the blood test came back. My vet did
call but the specialist hasn't gotten back to her yet.

Has anyone here ever had a cat that exhibited similar symptoms? Any
input would be most gratefully received because I'm really concerned
about Alice. I lost quite a bit of sleep last night just thinking about
her because I don't know what's wrong.

Thanks so much.

George

  #2  
Old July 22nd 04, 03:49 AM
SBroad2300
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Cats can be just as near-sighted as the rest of us. Try checking into that.
  #3  
Old July 22nd 04, 03:49 AM
SBroad2300
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Cats can be just as near-sighted as the rest of us. Try checking into that.
  #4  
Old July 22nd 04, 04:18 AM
majus
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Thanks for the reply.

My question about near-sightedness would be: why would it begin
manifesting in only a week's time? She was fine, then over a period of
about five days she's acting very, very different.

I have been nearsighted for many years and it did not come on overnight.

One thing that I did not mention in my first post is this: I made a trip
out of town for about four days during which my neighbors (whom I trust
very much) watched her for me as they have for several years.

Before I left on my trip, Alice was acting normally in the respect she
would meet me at the door when I came home from work. The day I returned
from my trip she did not meet me. She was sitting at the end of the
mantle, watching the door. She has been in that spot every day since my
return.

Over the next three weeks she pretty much acted as she always had.
Except for not meeting me at the door, she was still sleeping on the bed
with me, rolling around on the floor, playing and so on; then this past
week she won't do any of that anymore. She sleeps on the dresser across
the room, and she will not stay on the floor even if I get down on the
floor with her.

The only place on the floor she still goes to is her litterpan.
Otherwise, if she does go to the floor it is only to run to the next
high spot. I had to put her food and water up high because she wouldn't
go near it.

It is really strange.

George

SBroad2300 wrote:

  #5  
Old July 22nd 04, 04:18 AM
majus
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Thanks for the reply.

My question about near-sightedness would be: why would it begin
manifesting in only a week's time? She was fine, then over a period of
about five days she's acting very, very different.

I have been nearsighted for many years and it did not come on overnight.

One thing that I did not mention in my first post is this: I made a trip
out of town for about four days during which my neighbors (whom I trust
very much) watched her for me as they have for several years.

Before I left on my trip, Alice was acting normally in the respect she
would meet me at the door when I came home from work. The day I returned
from my trip she did not meet me. She was sitting at the end of the
mantle, watching the door. She has been in that spot every day since my
return.

Over the next three weeks she pretty much acted as she always had.
Except for not meeting me at the door, she was still sleeping on the bed
with me, rolling around on the floor, playing and so on; then this past
week she won't do any of that anymore. She sleeps on the dresser across
the room, and she will not stay on the floor even if I get down on the
floor with her.

The only place on the floor she still goes to is her litterpan.
Otherwise, if she does go to the floor it is only to run to the next
high spot. I had to put her food and water up high because she wouldn't
go near it.

It is really strange.

George

SBroad2300 wrote:

  #6  
Old July 22nd 04, 04:33 AM
Cathy Friedmann
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

The only reason for sudden blindness that I know about (not that there
aren't more - this is the only one I'm familiar with) is when the retinas
detach due to untreated high blood pressure. If the high bp is treated soon
enough, the retinas can reattach & the cat's sight is restored.

Cathy

"majus" wrote in message
...
Hello, Group:

Within the past ten or twelve days I noticed some odd behavior in my
six-year-old female cat Alice -- she won't stay on the floor or any
other place she considers "too low". She stays on the refrigerator, on a
dresser, on the mantle or any place high. None of this has been normal
for her in the past. The few times she was on the floor recently she was
acting a little fearful as if she thought something was in the room with
her. July is the month for her yearly physical so when I took her to the
vet I intended to ask about it.

While waiting for the doctor to come into the exam room, I noticed that
when she made an attempt to jump from the floor to the exam table, she
fell short and back to the floor. Twice more she looked at the table
top, trying to judge the distance, then backed off from trying the jump.
On the third try she succeeded. I realized at that time she must be
having trouble seeing.

The vet examined her, did some rudimentary tests with her fingers around
the cat's eyes (blink test, mainly) and agreed but she doesn't know why.
They did a sophisticated blood test of some kind and she's clear of any
problems there. The vet says her retinas appear to be OK but wants me to
take her to a specialist, an opthalmologist. I'm all for that, the
sooner the better. The vet told me she did speak with the specialist
before the blood test results came back and that the specialist didn't
seem to think it was anything serious. The specialist asked my vet to
call her again after the results of the blood test came back. My vet did
call but the specialist hasn't gotten back to her yet.

Has anyone here ever had a cat that exhibited similar symptoms? Any
input would be most gratefully received because I'm really concerned
about Alice. I lost quite a bit of sleep last night just thinking about
her because I don't know what's wrong.

Thanks so much.

George



  #7  
Old July 22nd 04, 04:33 AM
Cathy Friedmann
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

The only reason for sudden blindness that I know about (not that there
aren't more - this is the only one I'm familiar with) is when the retinas
detach due to untreated high blood pressure. If the high bp is treated soon
enough, the retinas can reattach & the cat's sight is restored.

Cathy

"majus" wrote in message
...
Hello, Group:

Within the past ten or twelve days I noticed some odd behavior in my
six-year-old female cat Alice -- she won't stay on the floor or any
other place she considers "too low". She stays on the refrigerator, on a
dresser, on the mantle or any place high. None of this has been normal
for her in the past. The few times she was on the floor recently she was
acting a little fearful as if she thought something was in the room with
her. July is the month for her yearly physical so when I took her to the
vet I intended to ask about it.

While waiting for the doctor to come into the exam room, I noticed that
when she made an attempt to jump from the floor to the exam table, she
fell short and back to the floor. Twice more she looked at the table
top, trying to judge the distance, then backed off from trying the jump.
On the third try she succeeded. I realized at that time she must be
having trouble seeing.

The vet examined her, did some rudimentary tests with her fingers around
the cat's eyes (blink test, mainly) and agreed but she doesn't know why.
They did a sophisticated blood test of some kind and she's clear of any
problems there. The vet says her retinas appear to be OK but wants me to
take her to a specialist, an opthalmologist. I'm all for that, the
sooner the better. The vet told me she did speak with the specialist
before the blood test results came back and that the specialist didn't
seem to think it was anything serious. The specialist asked my vet to
call her again after the results of the blood test came back. My vet did
call but the specialist hasn't gotten back to her yet.

Has anyone here ever had a cat that exhibited similar symptoms? Any
input would be most gratefully received because I'm really concerned
about Alice. I lost quite a bit of sleep last night just thinking about
her because I don't know what's wrong.

Thanks so much.

George



  #8  
Old July 22nd 04, 07:52 AM
Mimi Forsyth
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I too have a cat whose eyesight I question. The Vet has done some casual tests
& looked into her eyes with a flashlight in the dark, and has pronounced her
'normal'.
I think it is odd that this cat can walk past a glass door (inside) and not
notice or react to a flock of birds feeding on the other side (outdoors), even
when they are only six inches from her nose. Her sister goes ballistic over
those birds. The Vet suggested it might be a "mentation" problem, like maybe a
brain tumor. I severely hope not!
If a cat is kept strictly indoors & can find the foodbowl & the litterbox,
poor eyesight isn't the end of the world, I guess.
  #9  
Old July 22nd 04, 07:52 AM
Mimi Forsyth
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I too have a cat whose eyesight I question. The Vet has done some casual tests
& looked into her eyes with a flashlight in the dark, and has pronounced her
'normal'.
I think it is odd that this cat can walk past a glass door (inside) and not
notice or react to a flock of birds feeding on the other side (outdoors), even
when they are only six inches from her nose. Her sister goes ballistic over
those birds. The Vet suggested it might be a "mentation" problem, like maybe a
brain tumor. I severely hope not!
If a cat is kept strictly indoors & can find the foodbowl & the litterbox,
poor eyesight isn't the end of the world, I guess.
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Question about a vax Cheryl Cat health & behaviour 29 March 4th 05 02:37 AM
feed Nutro? Tamara Cat health & behaviour 90 November 19th 03 01:57 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:27 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CatBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.